Category: Cooperative Extension
World Food Safety Day: Small Actions, Big Impact OR Food Safety Is Everyone’s Business—In Delaware and Beyond
June 02, 2026 Written By: Kali Kniel, Department of Animal and Food Sciences
June marks the start of summer—a time filled with graduation celebrations, gatherings, and backyard barbecues. As we enjoy these moments and the delicious food that comes with them, it’s also the perfect time to think about something just as important: food safety. This month offers a great opportunity to reflect on how food safety impacts all of us, both locally and globally. Here in Delaware, we are fortunate to have dedicated growers and producers who work hard to provide safe, high-quality food. Their efforts help ensure that the food on our tables is not only fresh but also safe to enjoy.
Each year on June 7, the world recognizes World Food Safety Day, a global effort to raise awareness about the prevention, detection, and management of foodborne risks. If this day has passed you by in previous years, consider celebrating it this June
Foodborne illness is more common than many people realize. Globally, about 600 million people become ill from contaminated food each year. In the United States alone, an estimated 48 million people get sick annually. The good news is that many of these illnesses are preventable—and everyone has a role to play in reducing them.
World Food Safety Day is coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). The 2026 theme, “From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere,” highlights how health data, science, and research can guide cost-effective solutions to reduce the public health burden of foodborne illness worldwide. What an extraordinary campaign! In fact, this campaign reflects the mission of Delaware Cooperative Extension - bringing knowledge to the people, and this knowledge is rooted in data, science, and research.
The message is simple: food safety is everyone’s responsibility. From farmers and producers to families preparing meals at home, each step in the process matters. Everyday actions—like washing hands, cooking food thoroughly, storing food at safe temperatures, and using clean water—can make a significant difference.
The WHO promotes five easy steps to safer food:
Keep clean
Separate raw and cooked foods
Cook thoroughly
Keep food at safe temperatures
Use safe water and ingredients
While these practices are accessible to many in the United States, they are not always easy to implement everywhere in the world. That’s why global collaboration and education are so important—and why initiatives like World Food Safety Day matter.
Interested in learning more about food safety?
The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) offers free access for non-members throughout the month of June to its full archive of recorded webinars at foodprotection.org. This is a valuable resource for anyone looking to expand their knowledge. Take advantage of this opportunity and consider joining IAFP, a leading professional organization dedicated to advancing food safety worldwide.
This June, consider taking part in the celebration. Enjoy local foods, explore global cuisines, and take a moment to think about how your choices help keep food safe—for yourself, your family, and your community.
Visit the World Food Safety Day website for more information, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/world-food-safety-day/wfsd-homepage/en/.
If you have questions or food safety needs, please reach out to UD Cooperative Extension through Jennifer Jones at jbjones@udel.edu or email Dr. Kali Kniel at kniel@udel.edu.